Little Author in the Big Woods (6 page)

Laura was afraid for her sister. They were so close. Sometimes they quarreled. Sometimes Laura was jealous, because Mary was so pretty and well behaved, while she thought of herself as plain and stout. But despite that, Mary was her best friend, and she loved her sister deeply. They had already lost Freddie. What would happen if Mary died? Laura couldn't bear to think of it.

The exact nature of Mary's illness was never determined but it was severe enough to have damaged her optic nerve and it caused her to go blind. But Mary surprised them. She was strong and pulled through. Although she was only 14 years old, she did not complain or mourn; she seemed to accept her sightlessness and was deeply grateful for the love and support of her family.

When it was clear that Mary would never be able to see again, Pa took Laura aside. He had something very important to ask. Now that Mary was blind, Laura must act as her eyes. Through Laura, Mary would keep in contact with the world, and it would be Laura's job to describe the things that her sister could no longer see. Laura was quick and lively, so Pa had confidence in her. Laura nodded very solemnly in response to Pa's request. She knew it was a big responsibility, but she was ready to take it on. She would do as Pa asked, now and always.

Laura's new role was helping her to grow up. And although she did not know it, making pictures with words for her sister was preparing her for what would be her life's work: it was turning a bright, observant girl who loved reading into a full-fledged writer.

 

 

FOUR

A Train Trip and Life on the Prairie

1879−1882

Dakota Territory

Not long after Mary had gone blind, a surprise visitor drove up to the house. Laura did not recognize her, but she turned out to be Aunt Ladocia, Pa's sister. Aunt Docia had come from Wisconsin. Her husband worked for the railroad, and they were heading west. She offered Pa a job managing one of the company stores owned by the railroad. Pa said yes immediately, but Ma made him promise that once they moved to the Dakota Territory, they would finally stay put.

Pa sold the farm and left with Docia. Laura and her sisters stayed behind with Ma. With Pa gone, Laura helped in every way she could. She did chores, packed their belongings, and took Mary for long walks. Soon it was time to leave. They would take a railroad trip to Tracy, Minnesota—a first for the girls. The train ride was so exciting. Laura loved every little thing about it. She faithfully described it all to Mary so that Mary could “see” it along with her.

Pa met them at the train station in Tracy, which was in the Dakota Territory. He'd been working all summer long, selling goods to the railroad workers from the company store and keeping track of their hours too. But now the railroad men had finished their work and would be moving on. Pa would go with them. Once again, the whole family joined a wagon train heading west. They traveled about 40 miles until they reached the new railroad camp. It was built on the edge of a lake, and when Ma saw the moonlight glimmering on the water, she called it Silver Lake. That was not its real name, but it stuck in Laura's mind, and she used it to title her book
By the Shores of Silver Lake
many years later.

Ma, Pa, and the girls settled into a log shanty, which was a crude wooden shack set apart from the bunkhouses where the workers lived. Ma didn't trust the railroad workers, men who broke up the prairie sod and leveled the uneven places to get the land ready for laying the tracks. She told Laura and her sisters to stay away from them.

Laura wanted to be good and obey, but she was fascinated by the monumental work of building the railroad. One day, Pa took her out to see how it was done. She was so curious, she could have watched all day. But when she went home to tell Mary about it, Mary did not seem very interested.

Mostly, Laura tried to mind Ma and stay away from the workers. It was not all that hard because there was so much to do at home. As summer turned to fall, the railroad work on nearby Silver Lake was just about done. The men were packing up and getting ready to go east for the winter. In the spring, the new tracks would be laid down. Ma and Pa thought they, too, might head east. But then Pa got an offer from one of the surveyors. He wanted Pa to stay on to guard the equipment and supplies. Pa would get a salary, and the family could live in the surveyor's house for the winter.

The house, larger than any house they had lived in before, had two stories, several rooms, and glass windows. The doors had china knobs. Best of all, it was bursting with food: barrels of flour, cornmeal, and salt pork, as well as salted fish, dried apples, potatoes, beans, and boxes of soda crackers. There were even treats like pickles and jarred peaches. No one would go hungry in
this
house.

They settled in for the winter. Ma and the girls did their sewing and knitting while Pa went out hunting and looking for a homestead. At night he played the fiddle, or someone read aloud so Mary could enjoy the stories too. One night Pa came home and said he'd found the homestead he wanted. It was just a mile from the town of De Smet, so the girls would be able to go to school. As soon as he could get to the office, he would file a claim. This meant that Pa would apply to the government to keep the land he'd chosen. The government would give him the land for free if he agreed to build a home, farm the land, and remain there for at least five years.

Christmas came, and with it, a visit from a couple named Robert and Ellie Boast. Pa knew Robert Boast from the railroad work. Boast had planned on going to Iowa for the winter, but when he heard Pa was going to be in De Smet, he changed his mind and decided to stay as well. He and his bride moved in to one of the abandoned shacks in the railroad camp to wait out the winter. It was good to have neighbors during the long, cold months of snow and sleet. Mrs. Boast was young, pretty, and lots of fun. Laura was looking forward to spending time with her.

Early in 1880, lots of would-be homesteaders began arriving on the prairie. Since the surveyor's house was the only building for miles around, Ma found herself offering hospitality to strangers day and night. She and Pa let the weary and hungry travelers sleep on the floor and share their meals. Soon they began charging for the privilege—25 cents for a meal, 25 cents to lay their bedding by the fire for the night.

The house turned into a crowded, noisy place with strangers coming and going all the time. Laura helped with the cooking and washed mountains of dishes. Mrs. Boast helped out too. It was hard work, but the Ingalls family was happy with the money they earned.